The upcoming delimitation exercise and discussions surrounding the adjustment of parliamentary representation based on population have left Tamil Nadu concerned, especially since it has been effective in controlling its population growth.
Recently, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin encouraged newlyweds to start their families sooner than before. He stated, “In the past, we advised couples to take their time before having children. However, circumstances have shifted. It is now important to have children promptly.” He justified this push by referencing the current delimitation proposal, which suggests that a higher population might lead to increased parliamentary seats for the state. “Our situation arises from successfully implementing family planning measures,” he remarked at a wedding celebration for a DMK district official in Nagapattinam.
Stalin announced that an all-party meeting is scheduled for March 5 to further discuss the matter. He expressed concern, stating, “Even with 39 seats, we are facing challenges today, and a reduction would pose significant problems.”
His remarks come amidst growing apprehensions among Southern States regarding a potential delimitation based solely on the latest Census data, which may disadvantage them due to their stringent population control policies compared to Northern States.
In October, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu highlighted the looming crisis of an aging population in the South, urging citizens to have more children. He even proposed that individuals should only be eligible to contest local body elections if they had more than two children.
In response to Union Minister Amit Shah’s assurances that delimitation would not negatively impact the number of seats for Southern States, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah countered, warning that using current population statistics could be detrimental. Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy echoed these concerns, asserting that a purely population-based delimitation would result in injustice to the Southern region.
India’s total fertility rate (TFR) stands at 2.0 nationally, as per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) conducted between 2019 and 2021. However, states like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu have TFRs below 1.8, while the Northern states, including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Rajasthan, have an average TFR of 2.4.
